CLASS OF 1977 | 2015 | ISSUE 2
For much of our Class, 2015 marks our 60th birth year anniversary. Congratulations and best wishes to all for making it to this point. Many of our notes arrive from folks planning or having recently celebrated the big year.
From the looks of it on Facebook, Doug Green had a wonderful celebration for his birthday. Also, Doug attended a memorial gathering for Jean Redpath for which Iddy Olson did the lion’s share of organizational work. Both Doug and Iddy described how very moving and uplifting the event was.
Speaking of Iddy, the two of us celebrated our 60th birthday together in Lincoln, Mass., with an appropriately ’60s-themed dance party. Mike Coffey and Lisa Brummel participated in the festivities.
Deb Mercer celebrated the year with a European arts-architecture-garden focused trip in Belgium and Holland in May. How amazing the tulips must have been!
Louise Hazebrouck wrote on behalf of husband Steve Rome ’78, and herself, that they are celebrating the year by both retiring from teaching. They plan to travel abroad, along with lots of hiking, kayaking, reading and visiting with old friends. Can’t wait to see you in Boston!
Mark Beamis is taking a sabbatical from the world of work, beginning the summer of 2015. He’s planning a road trip across the USA visiting hometown friends and classmates from both Wesleyan and Exeter. Mark’s wife will be joining in for parts of the excursion and happily there will be regular updates on social media chronicling his adventures.
Sue Guiney is spending a quarter of the year in Cambodia. Out of this experience has sprung the charity “Writing Through,” teaching language fluency, conceptual thought, and self-esteem through creative writing. Living in London, Sue’s two sons are newly engaged to be married.
Cindee Howard has parlayed a biology major and MBA into a successful career as a copy editor. She recently returned from a Hawaiian trip with her partner, Jon. Like many, she is looking at turning a healthy 60 as a very fine option.
Susan Jacobson wrote from San Francisco where she married a native and has two grown sons living in nearby Portland. She would be delighted to cross paths with other Cardinals who are “out saving the world.”
Bob Giges sends greetings from Santa Cruz, specifically the UCSC Slugs, where he teaches acting as well as an impressive amount of fitness dancing such as Zumba and WorldDanz.
Paul Meisel wrote in that he is illustrating a story, authored by his son Peter, about a pirate dog named Stinky Spike. It will be published in 2016 through Bloomsbury.
John Fink got to visit Vancouver, Canada, to be with his six-month-old grandson, Alexander Churchill Fink. The whole family attended two nights of the U2 concert tour.
Steve Beauchamp has been all over television as he has appeared, post hospital, on episodes of Person of Interest, Black List, and the one I came across by surprise, House of Cards.
Wes Protheroe writes to us about his life post retirement: he serves on the board of directors at the Atlanta Humane Society and as a board advisor to a pharmaceutical company specializing in Alzheimer drug development.
Rick Dennett enjoyed watching Wes baseball’s great success in winning both “Little 3” and NESCAC this year. Rick’s son, Jonathan ’15, graduated this spring and has moved to Boston to begin his job.
Susan Shaw Webster hadn’t written to us since our graduation. She is a Manhattanite who with her Williams grad husband had two children: one a Williams grad, the second a current Wesleyan undergrad. Susan is a partner at Cravath, Swaine, & Moore specializing in corporate governance, M&A, and securities law.
David Schreff wrote us that his sports media and entertainment technology businesses are thriving. He has found time to teach at UMass-Amherst Isenberg School of Business. All members of his family are doing well!
Barbara Dicker Garii has moved back to NYC and lives in Jackson Heights. She is dean of the College of Education, Information, and Technology at LIU Post. Carol Cooper is deep into her research and dissertation working towards her Ph.D. in Jungian psychology.
Francis Rath is working for the Loudoun Health Department in emergency preparedness and response. Francis’ wife, Denise Thompson Rath, owns a successful horse business in Ocala, Fla., (www.greyfoxfarm.com).
Jonathan Kilbourn has been elected president of the Kennebunk municipal utility, the Kennebunk light and power district, building renewable power infrastructure.
Jim Melloan is now part of a new Internet radio station called Radio Free Brooklyn.
Both Peter Guenther and Jonathan Gertler have sons who have been involved in the relief effort in Nepal after the earthquake. Jonathan writes further that, in addition to his expanding business, he has his second CD of original songs (Sadetar Records, on iTunes, etc.) due to launch this year. Jonathan states that no matter how hard he works, “there is always time for music.”
Bob Nastri has been confirmed as a judge of the Connecticut Superior Court. Bob is currently running the criminal docket in Bristol.
Jane Goldenring is shooting a movie, Just in Time for Christmas, this summer in Vancouver. Jane taught a Skype class about work opportunities in LA and NYC for graduating film seniors at Wesleyan.
Will Altman has recently published a book, and the link can be found in the online edition of the Wesleyan class notes.
Dan Zegart has taken a full-time job with the Climate Investigations Center based in Alexandria, Va. Still working out of his home in N.J., Dan’s work focuses on big energy companies that are impeding the fight against global warming. Dan would love to hear from classmates, particularly those with an interest in climate and the politics of same: dzegart@yahoo.com.
Vivien Blackford is retired with her husband in Guilford, Conn. She founded Phoenix Association, an organization whose members were all formerly incarcerated folks who fought their way through the trials of prison and post-prison re-entry and are now eager for civic engagement.
Well, with what I have read in these notes, one must say that 60 never looked so good! Best regards to all!